Apparatus and method for facilitating circuit board processing

ABSTRACT

A circuit board carrier and method of using the same. The carrier allows circuit boards to be processed on lead frame-based semiconductor processing equipment. The circuit board carrier contains a structure to secure a circuit board thereto and the carrier is sized and shaped and provided with standardized indexing holes to allow processing of circuit boards on processing equipment configured for lead frame-based processing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/421,164,filed Oct. 19, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,595, issued Dec. 12, 2000,which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/225,277, filed Jan.5, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,649, issued Nov. 30, 1999, which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 08/640,147, filed Apr. 30, 1996,now U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,329, issued Jun. 15, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method forfacilitating circuit board processing and, more specifically, to areusable circuit board carrier and method of using same that allowscircuit boards to be processed on conventional semiconductor deviceassembly equipment commonly employed with lead frames.

2. State of the Art

The manufacture of packaged semiconductor devices is a most competitive,high volume industry. Because of its voluminous production nature, evenminute improvements in manufacturing efficiency and/or quality can makea considerable difference in overall manufacturing costs whenaccumulated over hundreds of thousands or even millions of units. Thus,automation of every manufacturing process is essential for one in theindustry to compete, and improving those automated processes to makethem more efficient and produce fewer defects is necessary to staycompetitive.

Automation requires large capital expenditures in automatedmanufacturing and processing equipment. Moreover, such automatedequipment is typically configured to process a specific component orcomponent type having a particular standardized configuration, usuallyto the exclusion of other types of components. For example, dedicatedequipment is purchased for fabrication of packaged semiconductor deviceswherein a semiconductor die is mounted to a lead frame, wire-bondedthereto, encapsulated by transfer molding and then trimmed and formed toremove mold flashing and extraneous lead frame strip elements and formthe external ends of the lead frame leads. Adaptability of at least someof such equipment, however, to accommodate another type of assembly,such as a printed circuit board assembly, would increase the value ofthe capital investment by providing greater opportunity for use andmanufacturing flexibility.

One way to increase efficiency in the manufacturing of semiconductordevices is to process the devices in batches. Batch processing allows agroup of components to be indexed through a given process station ingreater numbers compared to throughputting single components, andresults in more efficient utilization of the processing equipment. Thus,processing equipment is typically configured to perform one or moreoperations on a number of devices in a single cycle, creating fasterprocessing cycle times and a lower cost per unit.

In order to accommodate batch processing in the manufacturing ofpackaged semiconductor devices, it is known in the art to form severalsimilar components together as a unit for processing. For example, leadframes are typically formed as a linear lead frame strip comprised ofseveral lead frames joined together at their peripheries. Thus, all ofthe lead frames in a lead frame strip can be substantiallysimultaneously processed by the addition of dice, subsequent wirebonding, and finally encapsulation to form several packagedsemiconductor devices, which are separated in a final trim and formoperation, as previously described.

Lead frame strips commonly employ relatively robust longitudinal railsegments along each edge to stiffen the strip and provide indexing holesfor manipulation of the strip within and between processing stations.Lead frames may also be provided with a carrier that not only providesstructural support for the lead frame strip during processing, but isadapted to be indexable and/or conveyable by the manufacturingequipment. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,935, a universal leadframe carrier is disclosed to hold individual strips of lead framestogether with their respective chips for bonding. The lead frame carriercan then be used to systematically move the lead frame from station tostation during manufacture. U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,404 discloses anotherlead frame support. Magazines, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,910,886, may be employed to transport or store a large number of leadframe strips, with or without carriers.

Because of the advantages of batch processing and workpiece handlingtechniques employed in the manufacture of packaged semiconductor devicesand, more particularly, to the processing of lead frame-based devices,such processing would also be beneficial in the manufacture of devicesusing printed circuit boards or other conductive trace-carryingsubstrates to which semiconductor dice are mounted and electricallyconnected. Conventional equipment used in the processing of packagedsemiconductor devices, however, is typically configured to accommodatelead frame strips and/or packaged semiconductor devices based upon leadframes and is, therefore, not employable in the manufacture of printedcircuit board assemblies and the like. Such equipment used in themanufacture of lead frame-based semiconductor devices (e.g., dieattachers, wire bonders, drop dispensers and various lead framemagazines) would, however, be useful for the processing of printedcircuit boards and other planar die supports, such as ceramicsubstrates, if a means could be formed to do so. Moreover, utilizationof assembly equipment for more than one type of product wouldsignificantly reduce capital expenditures necessary for semiconductormanufacturing of different types of assemblies.

Different approaches have been employed for handling printed circuitboards, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,915,307; 3,930,644; 4,109,379;4,155,447; 4,198,024; 4,291,867; 4,385,781; 4,600,231; 4,763,782;4,953,061; 5,339,221; 5,406,455; and 5,456,402. However, the foregoingpatents are largely directed toward storage or transport of boards, inmost instances are directed toward boards of substantial size, such asmother boards, are intended for installation of boards in chassis orother higher-level packaging for operational purposes, or are notadaptable to automated handling on a high-volume basis.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,615 discloses a printed circuit board holder adaptedto retain a plurality of boards with a cam-type mechanism interposedbetween boards located in laterally and longitudinally adjacent recessesin the holder. The holder is not suitable in size or configuration foruse with lead frame assembly processing and transport equipment, and maynot provide the close locational tolerances necessary for use ofdie-attach and wirebonding equipment.

Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a reusable circuit boardcarrier and method of using same that allows circuit boards to beprocessed on conventional lead frame-based semiconductor device assemblyequipment.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a reusable circuit board carrier andmethod of using same is provided to allow circuit boards to be processedon conventional lead frame-based semiconductor device assemblyequipment. More specifically, the circuit board carrier providesstructure for temporarily aligning and securing a circuit board theretofor handling, storage and processing and allows the circuit board to beremoved and replaced by another circuit board after processing has beencompleted. Moreover, the circuit board carrier may accommodate one ormore circuit boards simultaneously in the same manner that multiple leadframes are manipulated together as a lead frame strip.

In a preferred embodiment, the circuit board carrier is comprised of anelongate, substantially planar member having a relatively thincross-section and a generally rectangular perimeter. The circuit boardcarrier includes one or more board abutment surfaces for aligning atleast one circuit board relative to the carrier, as well as structurefor immobilizing and holding the aligned circuit board relative to thecarrier. The abutment surfaces may include protrusions extending fromthe attachment surface of the circuit board carrier, the protrusionshaving various configurations for abutting flat or contoured edgesurfaces of the circuit board. In addition, the immobilizing structuremay include protrusions that extend from the attachment surface over aportion of the attached circuit board, or capture pins that fit throughapertures in the circuit board and the attachment surface to pin theboard to the carrier. Biased abutment surfaces that retract to allowinsertion of a circuit board onto the carrier and then return to theiroriginal position once the circuit board is inserted may also beincorporated.

The carrier of the invention is sized and shaped to be transportedbetween and processed on conventional semiconductor device assemblyequipment and may include longitudinally extending lateral flanges alongits outer edges. In addition, one or both of these flanges may includeindexing holes formed therein to be engaged by transport and indexingdevices. The carrier may also include an isolation member comprised of arelatively thin, substantially rectangular sheet of material, such as astatic dissipative material or other suitable material known in the art,to isolate the circuit board from the carrier.

In another preferred embodiment, the circuit board carrier is comprisedof two substantially parallel, elongate rails, each having groovesformed therein for holding one or more circuit boards. The circuit boardcarrier is provided with structure to keep the circuit board or boardsfrom sliding out of the grooves, such as a transverse member having aninterference fit with the grooves or otherwise secured to the rails(pin, screw, snap-fit, etc.) or a pivotally mounted member securable atits free end to the opposite rail. The circuit board carrier is sizedand shaped to present circuit boards to be processed on conventionallead frame-based semiconductor device assembly equipment and may includeindexing holes along the outer edge of one or both elongate rails toaccommodate typical indexing equipment. The circuit board carrierincludes at least one cross-member for connecting the two railstogether, which may be positioned at an end of the rails to accommodateone or more circuit boards slid into the carrier, or proximate a medialportion of the rails so that one or more circuit boards may be carriedon either side of the cross-member.

As used in the description of the present invention and specifically inthe claims appended hereto, the term “circuit board” is not limited toparticular structures such as conventional FR4 boards, but encompassesany conductor-carrying, substantially planar substrate or other diesupport member formed of any suitable material, including withoutlimitation conductor-carrying laminates formed of various materials,silicon or glass substrates with deposited (as by photolithography)conductors, ceramic substrates and other suitable conductor carriers asknown in the art. Further, the term circuit board includes andencompasses all types of single- and multi-die assemblies, such asmulti-chip modules (MCMs) including different types of dice or the samedie type, the latter being exemplified by single in-line memory modules(SIMM's) or dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs).

Although the circuit board carrier of the present invention has beendescribed in relation to several preferred embodiments, it is believedthat a major aspect of the invention is that the circuit board carrierallows circuit boards to be processed on conventional lead frame-basedsemiconductor device assembly equipment. This and other features of thepresent invention will become apparent from the following detaileddescription, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a first embodiment of acircuit board carrier in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a close-up exploded schematic view of a capture pin andassociated circuit board carrier of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the circuit boardcarrier of FIG. 1 in assembled form;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are top and side schematic views, respectively, of asecond embodiment of a circuit board carrier in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are top and side schematic views, respectively, of athird embodiment of a circuit board carrier in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a top schematic view of a fourth embodiment of a circuit boardcarrier in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a top schematic view of a fifth embodiment of a circuit boardcarrier in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a circuit board carrier 10 in an exploded perspective view,circuit board carrier 10 being generally comprised of an elongate,substantially planar member 12 defining an attachment surface 14. Theplanar member 12 has a generally rectangular configuration and is sizedto be indexed through conventional lead frame-based semiconductor deviceassembly equipment, as known in the art. Extending longitudinally alongthe outer edges 16 and 18 of the planar member 12 are two substantiallyparallel flanges 20 and 22, respectively. One or both of the flanges 20and 22 may be provided with a plurality of indexing or tooling holes 24.Such tooling holes 24 are used in the art for workpiece transportpurposes and to position components within an assembly apparatus. It ispreferred that flanges 20 and 22 be formed of a rigid, dimensionallystable material such as spring steel, for example, of 0.010″ thickness.This is due to the fact that commonly employed circuit board materialssuch as FR4 are neither dimensionally stable nor robust enough toaccommodate transport and indexing equipment without alignment problemsand potential damage to the unit. Moreover, the separately formedflanges are easily replaceable if worn or damaged, so that an entirecarrier need not be scrapped. The flanges may be mechanically oradhesively secured to the main body of the circuit board carrier 10, asin laterally extending grooves cut or otherwise formed in the sides ofplanar member 12. Further, the flanges 20 and 22 might be provided withboard position indicators such as notches 25 (broken lines), holes 27 ofa different shape than indexing or tooling holes 24, or segments 29 of adifferent material detectable by a proximity sensor so that the presenceand exact location of a particular board (especially useful on amulti-board carrier) is easily determinable by the wire bonder,die-attach equipment, or other processing apparatus.

Circuit board carrier 10 may be of any suitable length to carry morethan one circuit board, the ultimate length thereof being dictated bythe longest lead fame strip the storage, transport and processingequipment employed with the carrier is designed to accommodate(generally under ten (10) inches or 25.40 cm.). Similarly, the width ofcircuit board carrier 10 is also dictated by existing equipment and isgenerally, therefore, under two (2) inches (5.08 cm.), the same as alarge lead frame strip.

The planar member 12 includes a plurality of board abutment protrusions26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 extending from the attachment surface 14,protrusions 26, 30, 32 (see FIG. 3) and 34 having a generallyrectangular configuration and protrusion 28 having a contouredcross-section to fit a like-contoured edge 36 of a circuit board 38. Theside abutment surfaces of protrusions 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 are used toalign and maintain the circuit board 38 in exact or precise positionrelative to the planar member 12.

An exemplary circuit board 38 as schematically shown includes twoapertures 40 and 42 proximate its respective ends 44 and 46. The planarmember 12 also includes apertures 48 and 50 sized, shaped and positionedto be in substantial alignment with the apertures 40 and 42 of thecircuit board 38 when the circuit board 38 is properly positioned on theattachment surface 14. The planar member 12 may also include openings 52and 54 for access to the underside of the circuit board 38.

An isolation member 56 of a dielectric, preferably static-dissipativematerial as known in the art, sized and shaped to fit between thecircuit board 38 and the planar member 12 may also be included inconjunction with the circuit board carrier 10 to isolate the circuitboard 38 from the planar member 12. The isolation member 56 alsoincludes apertures 58 and 60 positioned to align with apertures 40 and42.

To assemble the circuit board carrier 10 with an attached circuit board38, the isolation member 56 is placed on the attachment surface 14followed by the circuit board 38 such that the isolation member 56 andthe circuit board 38 abut the protrusions 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34. Assuch, the apertures 42, 60 and 50 should be in alignment, as shouldapertures 40, 58, and 48. Capture pin 62 is then inserted into apertures42, 60 and 50 and capture pin 64 inserted into apertures 40, 58, and 48to hold the circuit board 38, isolation member 56 and planar member 12together.

As better shown in FIG. 2, the capture pin 64 (which is substantiallythe same as capture pin 62) includes a cap portion 66 at its proximalend 67, a first substantially semicylindrical member 68, and a secondsubstantially semi-cylindrical member 70 extending from the bottomsurface 71 of the cap portion 66. Members 68 and 70 are separated by adiametrically extending compression gap 69. Half-frustoconicalprotrusions 72 and 74 at the distal end of the capture pin 64 extendfrom the semi-cylindrical members 68 and 70, respectively, but have aslightly larger diameter to provide retaining upper edges 76 and 78,respectively, for abutting downwardly facing annular shoulder 80 in thecountersunk base of aperture 48. The first and second substantiallysemi-cylindrical members 68 and 70 extend a distance D equal to thecombined thickness T1 of the circuit board 38, plus the thickness T2 ofthe isolation member 56, plus the thickness T3 of the portion of theplanar member 12 grasped by the half-fustoconical protrusions 72 and 74.Thus, when the circuit board carrier 10 is assembled, entry of thehalf-frustoconical protrusions 72 and 74 into aperture 48 squeezes thesubstantially semi-cylindrical members 68 and 70 together to closecompression gap 69 until the protrusions 72 and 74 extend into thecounterbore of aperture 48 and upper edges 76 and 78 engage the shoulder80. The protrusions 72 and 74 fit wholly within the aperture 48 and donot extend below the bottom surface 82 of the planar member 12.

FIG. 3 shows the circuit board carrier 10 in assembled form with circuitboard 38 in place. As illustrated, the one end 84 of the circuit board38 abuts the carrier protrusion 26, the contoured edge 36 is abutted bythe carrier protrusion 28, the other end 84 is abutted by carrierprotrusion 30, and the side 86 is abutted by protrusions 32 and 34.Moreover, the circuit board 38 is securely attached to the planar member12 by capture pins 62 and 64, permitting partial or complete inversionof the assembly as desired or required for transport, storage orprocessing.

The circuit board carrier 100 illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B is similarto the previously described embodiment, except that a circuit board,such as circuit board 38, may be held in position by inverted L-shapedprotrusions 102 and 104 and biased protrusions 106 and 108. The invertedL-shaped protrusions 102 and 104 extend transversely across the topsurface 110 of the elongate, substantially planar member 112 tolaterally position a circuit board 38 on the planar member 112 withinthe grooves 114 and 116 formed between the L-shaped protrusions 102 and104 and the top surface 110. The biased protrusions 106 and 108 extendupwardly from the top surface 110 and are biased by leaf-type biasingmembers 118 and 120. The biasing members 118 and 120 are positioned incut-outs 122 and 124 and attached at their proximal ends 126 and 128 ina cantilevered fashion to the planar member 112. As shown, biasingmembers 118 and 120 may be formed integrally with planar member 112, andof a reduced thickness in comparison thereto on one or both sides ofmember planar 112 to enhance resiliency. Thus, to secure a circuit boardto the circuit board carrier 100, the protrusions 106 and 108 aredepressed to allow lateral passage of the circuit board 38. The circuitboard 38 is then slid into the grooves 114 and 116 until contacted bythe protrusion 130 and protrusions 106 and 108 are then allowed toreturn to their original positions. As with the previously discussedembodiment, the circuit board carrier 100 has the ability to be used forprocessing circuit boards in conventional lead frame-based semiconductordevice assembly equipment. It is also possible to use straight-sidedprotrusions at the locations of protrusions 102 and 104 (see brokenlines in FIG. 4B) and to hold a circuit board 38 against the verticalsurfaces of the fixed protrusions with biased protrusions 106 and 108.Moreover, rather than using leaf-type biasing members such as 118 and120, protrusions such as 106 and 108 might be provided with elastomericor other (such as coil or bowspring) biasing elements 107 and 109 ontheir inner faces, so that a circuit board may be dropped between the(straight-sided) protrusions, pushed laterally against biasing elements107 and 109, and released, biasing elements 107 and 109 then resilientlyaligning circuit board 38 against protrusion 130 and between protrusionsat the locations of 102 and 104.

Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, another preferred embodiment of acircuit board carrier 150 is illustrated. The circuit board carrier 150is generally comprised of two longitudinally extending, substantiallyparallel elongate rails 152 and 154. The rails 152 and 154 are held inrelative position to one another by a cross-member 153 secured proximatethe midpoints of the rails 152 and 154. As illustrated, the circuitboard carrier 150 is designed to hold two circuit boards 38. Thoseskilled in the art, however, will recognize that it may be possible toaccommodate a single circuit board 38 by moving the cross-member 153 toone end 155 and shortening the lengths of the rails 152 and 154.Moreover, having rails 152 and 154 as illustrated with the cross-memberpositioned at one end 155 would allow two circuit boards 38 to be heldby the circuit board carrier in a mutually abutted relationship.

As better seen in FIG. 5B, each of the rails 152 and 154 has a Y-shapedcross-section including longitudinally extending flanges 156 and 158forming the tail or base of the Y-shape and extensions 160, 162 and 164,166 defining longitudinally extending grooves 168 and 170, respectively.The grooves 168 and 170 are sized and shaped to receive a circuit board38 that may be slid therein until abutted by the cross-member 153. Thegrooves 168 and 170 hold the circuit board 38 from all movement, otherthan longitudinal, relative to the circuit board carrier 150. Theflanges 156 and 158 may include a plurality of indexing holes 157 toaccommodate processing on conventional semiconductor assembly equipment.

In order to keep the circuit boards 38 within the circuit board carrier150 without becoming dislodged from the rails 152 and 154, a retainingmember 172 may be secured to the ends 155 and 174 of the circuit boardcarrier 150. Something as simple as a substantially rectangular bar 172forming an interference fit between the grooves 168 and 170 at theirouter ends and may be used to hold circuit boards 38 againstlongitudinal movement relative to the carrier 150. Thus, to secure thecircuit boards 38 within the circuit board carrier 150, one circuitboard 38 is slid into one end of the grooves 168 and 170 to abutcross-member 153 on one side thereof, and another circuit board 38 isslid into the other end of the grooves 168 and 170 to abut cross-member153 on the other side thereof. A retaining member 172 is pressed intoeach end 155 and 174 of the circuit board carrier 150 and the circuitboards 38 may then be processed through conventional semiconductorassembly equipment. Circuit boards 38 are held in exact longitudinal andlateral alignment for processing, longitudinally through their abutmentwith cross-member 153, and laterally by the constraining rails 152 and154. It is contemplated that retaining members may be mechanicallysecured to rails 152 and 154 at 176 by screws, pins or preferably asnap-lock type mechanism using resilient elements for tool-freeinsertion and removal. Further, the interior (facing cross-member 153)edges of retaining members 172 may carry an elastomer strip, a leafspring, or other biasing element 178 to longitudinally, resilientlymaintain circuit boards 38 against cross-member 153.

The circuit board carrier 180 illustrated in FIG. 6 is substantiallysimilar to the circuit board carrier 150 of FIGS. 5A and 5B includingY-shaped elongate rails 182 and 184 and cross-member 187. The circuitboard carrier 180, however, includes pivotally mounted, elongateretaining members 186 and 188 at the carrier's ends 190 and 192,respectively. The retaining members 186 and 188 are pivotally mounted torotate in the plane of the circuit board carrier at their first ends 194and 195, respectively, to the rail 182 by cylindrical pins orprotrusions 196 and 197 or other means known in the art. The second ends198 and 199 of the retaining members 186 and 188 define hooked portions200 and 202, respectively. Locking protrusions or pegs 203 and 205 areattached proximate the proximal and distal ends of the rail 184 toengage with and hold the hooked portions 200 and 202 relative to therail 184 upon inward rotation of the retaining members 186 and 188,respectively. As the retaining members 186 and 188 are rotated to securethe circuit boards 38, biasing members 206 and 208, such as leaf-typesprings attached to the retaining members 186 and 188, respectively, arepressed against the ends 210 and 212 of the circuit boards 38 to forcethe circuit boards 38 toward the cross-member 187. The engagement of thehooked portions 200 and 202 with the pegs 203 and 205 sufficientlysecures the retaining members 186 and 188 to the rail 184 to withstandthe force of the biasing members 206 and 208.

FIG. 7 depicts another alternative circuit board carrier 300 comprisedof a substantially planar member 302 having a recess 304 in the uppersurface thereof and optional underside recesses 306 to provide access tothe back of a circuit board 38 disposed in upper recess 304. Member 302includes lateral side rails 308 and 310 extending coplanarly therefrom,side rails 308 and 310 including indexing holes 24, as previouslydiscussed. Inner lateral surfaces 312 and 314 and inner end surface 316of recess 304 provide alignment surfaces for circuit board 38, while bowspring 320 abutting inner end surface 322 ensures longitudinal abutmentof circuit board 38 against inner end surface 316. Retainer clip 324further ensures circuit board security during inversion, and may beaugmented by retention tabs 326 and 328, if desired, extending overcircuit board 38 above inner end surface 316. Other arrangements mightbe employed, such as a resilient elastomer strip placed along an endsurface such as inner end surface 322 inside recess 304 in combinationwith deflectable plastic retention tabs or even strips extending overparts of the periphery of recess 304. Resilient straps such aselastomeric bands may also be placed to extend over portions of thecircuit board to which dice are not to be mounted, pulled out of the wayduring circuit board insertion, and released to retain circuit board 38.

It will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in theart that the present invention, in addition to permitting use of leadframe handling and processing equipment for circuit boards, also affordsadvantages in board yield. Specifically, circuit boards are formed ingroups on large dielectric panels, such as panels of FR4. In circuitboards which are to be handled and processed using the carriers of theinvention, no boundaries or other areas on the panel are required, asthe boards are singulated and placed in the carriers. Thus, waste or“Thiefage” of panel material is virtually eliminated. Moreover, withcertain designs of the inventive carrier wherein substantially the fullface of each circuit board is exposed (no borders being required forholding or handling), more circuit board “real estate” is available forlocation of components, circuit traces, and connectors.

In the exemplary embodiments, the circuit board carrier, as illustrated,has an elongated, generally rectangular configuration holding one or twocircuit boards. Those skilled in the art, however, will appreciate thatthe size, shape, number of circuit boards held and/or configuration ofthe carrier may vary to accommodate the type and/or configuration ofassembly equipment through which the carrier is indexed, withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that there may be other means ofattaching the circuit board to the carrier including modifications andcombinations of the means described herein. It will also be appreciatedby one of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features of theillustrated embodiments may be combined with one or more features fromanother to form yet another combination within the scope of theinvention as described and claimed herein. Thus, while certainrepresentative embodiments and details have been shown for purposes ofillustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes in the invention disclosed herein may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined inthe appended claims. For example, while the invention has been describedwith reference to certain processing equipment, such as wire bonders anddie-attach machines, it will be appreciated that the invention may alsobe employed with die pick-and-place devices and inverters to effectuateflip-chip die placement on circuit boards in the carriers of theinvention. Furthermore, flex-circuits comprising conductive traces on aflexible dielectric sheet or film (also called TAB tape for TapeAutomated Bonding) may be employed with the invention to electricallyconnect dice to circuit boards disposed in the carriers.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for supporting a circuit board tofacilitate processing thereof, comprising: an elongate, substantiallyplanar member defining a circuit board attachment surface, said circuitboard attachment surface including at least one inner lateral surfacetherein; and at least one circuit board attachment structure for holdingsaid circuit board proximate said circuit board attachment surface andto abut said at least one inner lateral surface.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said circuit board attachment surface is located in arecess on a surface of said elongate, substantially planar member. 3.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one circuit boardattachment structure comprises at least one biasing member forhorizontally biasing said circuit board in said recess against said atleast one inner lateral surface of said recess.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 2, further including a board retention element extending over saidrecess.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one circuitboard attachment structure comprises at least one resilient elementadjacent said circuit board attachment surface for retaining saidcircuit board thereon.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said atleast one resilient element is rotationally deflectable from the planeof said elongate, substantially planar member.
 7. The apparatus of claim6, wherein said at least one resilient element is deflectablesubstantially parallel to the plane of said elongate, substantiallyplanar member.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least oneinner lateral surface comprises a recess in a surface of said elongate,substantially planar member.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein saidat least one inner lateral surface extends into a surface of saidelongate, substantially planar member.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said at least one circuit board attachment structure comprisesat least one spring retention element for biasing said circuit boardagainst said at least one inner lateral surface.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 10, wherein said at least one spring retention element is locatedand oriented to bias an edge of said circuit board opposing an edge ofsaid circuit board which abuts against said at least one inner lateralsurface.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one circuitboard attachment structure comprises at least one retention tab.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein said at least one retention tab extendspartially over said circuit board and partially into said elongate,substantially planar member.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein saidat least one circuit board attachment structure is configured toresiliently secure said circuit board to said circuit board attachmentsurface.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuit boardattachment surface having said at least one inner lateral surfacetherein comprises a rectangular recess.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein said at least one circuit board attachment structure comprisesat least one spring retention element proximate one end of saidrectangular recess for urging said circuit board against an opposite endof said rectangular recess.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein saidat least one circuit board attachment structure comprises at least oneretention tab extending partially over an outer surface of said circuitboard.